Game apparatus.



fpack of cards,

lpacks serially designated by letters.

FREDERIC W. PHIPPS, 0F W ELLESLEY, MASSACHUSETTS.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patente-d Sept. 1, 1914.

Application filed March 31, 1913. Serial No. 757,772.

To all whom it maja/.concern Be it known that I, FREDERIC W. PHiPPs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident`of Wellesley, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts. have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to playing cards used in games, such as auction bridge, by a plurality of groups of players at a series of tables or4 stations, each equipped with a the game reduiring a movement of players from table to table throughout the series.

The invention has for its object tov enable the-seriality7 succession, or sequence of the tables to be indicated by the packs of cards thereon, so that players moving from any table may locate the next table of the series by the pack of cards on that table, instead of by independent tickets or labels as heretofore.

The invention consists inl a game apparatus consisting of a series of packs of playing cards serially designated to distinguish each pack from the others, so that when the packs are distributed 0n card tables the s'eriality ofthe tables is indicated by the cards.

Of the accompanying drawings z-Figure l represents a series of packs of cards serially designated in accordance with my invention by Arabic numerals. Fig. 2 represents a series of packs serially designated by words. Fig. 3 represents a series o Fig. 4 represents a series of packs serially designated by Roman numerals.

The packs are shown in perspective in each figure. Any desired number of packs may be employed, the number' of packs corresponding to the number of tables and players. The serial designations are preferably printed ont-he backs of the cards, each card of the pack bearing the same designation and the designation marks on the cards of each pack differing from those on all the other packs.

In the embodiment by Fig. 1 each card of the invention shown of the first pack bears the numeral 1, each card of` the second pack the numeral 2 and so on to the end of the series. The first pack of the series is to be placed on table number one, the second on table number tivo, and so on.

rl'he employment of a series of packs seriall'v designated in accordance with my invention, ebviates the necessity of placing in.- dependent designating labels or tickets yon card tables employed in playing progressive games. These labels are liable` to' be displaced by the players and lost, the result being confusion and annoyance. Moreover. a loose label on a small card table occupies space required for the fall of the cards. The preparation and care of a set of serially designated independent labels involves a considerable expenditure of time. These, and all other objections to independent labels, are obviated by my invention which enables any member of a pack of playing cards to serve as a label, the pack therefore having two, functions. In case a card of any pack becomes remotely separatedtrom the body of the pack, the designating number facilitates its restoration.

What I claim and desire to secure by ters Patent is 1. A game apparatus consisting of a series of packs of cards serially designated t0 distinguish each pack tromk the others, whereby the seriality of a corresponding number of game tables or stations may be indicated, all of the members of each pack bearing the same designation. 2. A game apparatus consisting of a series of packs of cards serially designated,

Ixellthe members of each pack bearing the same serial designation, all the members of each pack bearing the same designation, and the designationon the members of each pack diifering frdm the designations on the members of the other packs.

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature. in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERIC W. PHIPPS Witnesses:

C: F. BROWN, P. `W. yl'EzzE'r'rI. 

